Matrix-making press.



R. T. JOHNSTON.

MATRIX MAKING PRESS.

APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 15, 1905. RENEWED MAY 1, 1912. 1,047,533. I

Patented Dec. 17, 1912.

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R. T. JOHNSTON. v MATRIX MAKING PRESS.

- APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 15, 1905. RENEWED MAY 1, 1912. 1,047,533.

Patented Dec. 17, 1912.

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COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH 6a., WASHINGTON, D. c.

UNTT SATES ATE FFTQ.

ROBERT T. JOHNSTON, OF TAUNTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO THE AUTOIPLATE COMPANY OF AMERICA, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY,

A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 17, 1212.

Application filed September 15, 1905, Serial No. 278,612.. Renewed May 1, 1912. Serial No. 694,525.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT T. JOHNSTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Taunton, in the county of Bristol and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Matrix-Making Press, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide a new and improved press for making stereotype matrices.

In making matrices, the moist fiong is beaten onto the type and then is subjected to the action of the platen of a press, usually several layers of blanket being placed between the platen and the flong. The press is steam heated and the fiong is kept in con tact with the,type until the moisture is completely dried. This drying of the flong in contact with the type takes considerable time, and as every second after the form of type has been set up is of value in news paper work, the aim of the present invention is to arrange and construct a press so that material saving in time can be accomplished in the making of the matrix. To accomplish this desirable end, the blanket which is interposed between the flong and the platen is made of a considerable length, preferably in the form of a continuous strip, and mechanism is provided for shifting the blanket between successive movements of the platen, whereby a dry blanket surface always will be interposed between the platen and the flong.

The parts are preferably, but not necessarily arranged to work automatically.

A further advantageous operation is to arrange the parts as hereinafter described, so that the platen may be caused to descend or press several times upon the flong, each time with a new blanket surface interposed, whereby the drying operation can be greatly facilitated.

The best form of apparatus for practising the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing, referring to which,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an apparatus constructed to embody my invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the ratchet mechanism for shifting the blanket. Figs. 3

to 6 inclusive are sectional views illustrating the operation of the valve mechanism, and Fig. 7 is a side elevation of a modification hereinafter described.

The apparatus will be best understood from a detailed description.

Referring to the drawings and in detail, A designates a suitable framing or support on which is mounted the usual table B, the left-hand end of which may be made hollow so as to form a steam chest, and the right hand end of which is used to form a support for sliding the form of type in and out of position under the platen. Attached to the table is a support C, fitted to reciprocate vertically in which is a flat or plane platen P. The form of type F with the flong M beaten onto the top thereof is slid under the platen P in the usual manner. The platen P is connected to a piston-rod 10 secured to a piston 11 fitting in a cylinder 12 secured to the top of the support G. A spring 13 is arranged under the piston to cause the platen normally to assume its raised position. An inlet 14 is arranged in the cylinder 12 to allow pressure on top of the piston.

The blanket D is preferably made in the form of a continuous strip, and is held under the platen P. Secured on the table is a frame-work 15. Journaled in supports projecting from the right-hand side thereof isa roller 16 to which the blanket is led from under the platen. From the roller 16 the blanket passes around a roller 17 arranged in brackets at the right hand top edge of the framing 15, which brackets are held up by springs to keep the blanket under tension and to allow for shrinkage or pull on the same in operation. Journaled in the framing 15 is a series of lower rolls 18 and a series of upper rolls 19. The blanket D is looped back and forth between these rolls as shown, so that the blanket can be made of a long length. Interposed between the loops of the blanket thus formed are a series of pipes S through which steam may be passed so as to dry the blanket. The steam flowing through these coils may be exhaust steam from the operating cylinders,

or may be live steam from any suit-able source of supply. From the last lower roll 18 the blanket is led up around a roller 20 which is arranged at the upper left-hand side of the framework 15 in brackets with a spring tension similar to the roller 17. The blanket then passes around a roller 21, and is directed under the platen.

Co-acting with the roller 16 is a roller 22 which is journaled in pivoted bell-crank arms 23 which are acted upon by springs 24 so as to keep the roller 22 in tight contact with the roller 16. A drip-pan 25 is arranged below the roller 16 and the roller 22. In this way themoisture from the blanket as it is shifted from the platen is squeezed out.

A roller 26 is arranged to press on the roller 21, said roller 26 being arranged in bell-crank arms 27 which are acted upon by springs 28 to keep the roller 26 in contact with the roller 21, this arrangement being provided so as to bite the blanket for the feed motion hereinafter mentioned. The roller 21 has a pinion 29 on its end which meshes with a gear 30 carrying a pawl 31 which meshes with a ratchet wheel 32 carrying a pinion 33. The ratchet-wheel and the pinion 33 are secured together, and are loosely journaled on a shaft 34 on the end of which is arranged a handle 35 so that the blanket D can be moved forward by hand if desired, the gear 30 being secured to the shaft 34.

A rack 36 is formed or secured to a pistonrod 37 which is connected to a piston 38 arranged in a vertical cylinder 39, the piston 38 being normally kept in its lowest position by a spring 40. By this arrangement when the rack 36 is forced upward the ratchet-wheel 32 will engage the pawl 31 and turn the gear 30, and through the pinion the roller 21 revolves and feeds the blanket forward under the platen. Upon the downward movement of the piston the ratchet wheel will run back idly under the pawl.

A valve casing 41 is secured under the framing A and carries an upper valve V and a lower valve W The valve-casing is connected by a pipe 42 to cylinder 12, which pipe has a branch 43 as shown. The valve casing is also connected by pipe 44 to the lower side of the cylinder 39. Pressure, preferably steam, is admitted through an inlet 45 and is allowed to escape through an outlet 46. The upper valve V is provided with a handle 47 and the two valves V and W are geared together by gears 4848.

The operation is as follows :The platen P is normally raised, and the piston 38 is normally in its lowest position, as shown in Fig. 1. When the parts are in this position the form of type wit-h the flong there on is slid under the platen. The operator then takes the handle 47 and moves the same from the position shown in Fig. 1 to the position shown in Fig. 4. While the valves remain in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the platen is held in its raised position, and the piston 38 in its lowest position, but when the parts assume the position shown in Fig. 4, pressure is admitted from the inlet 45 into connection 42, whereby steam is admitted on top of the piston 11, and the platen P is forced down to press the flong onto the type. The operator continues the rotation of the handle 47 until the position shown in Fig. 5 is reached.

In this position the pipe 42 is connected by branch 43 with the exhaust 46,-and pressure from pipe 45 is allowed to pass into pipe 44, thus under the piston 38. As this action takes place the platen P will be raised and the piston 38 will be forced upward, which 3; will shift the blanket D under the platen as the same lifts. It will be noted that the shifting movement of the blanket is such as to give a new blanket surface under the platen for each shifting movement; that is to say, the shifting action of theblanket is preferably equal to or greater than the length of the form. The operator continues the rotation of the handle 47 until the scend and press the flong on the type, is

allowed to lift, and as it lifts the blanket is shifted forward, and the operating parts brought to position to continue this opera tion. The operator can keep the platen down on the fiong as long as he pleases by holding the parts in the position shown in Fig. 4. By rotating the handle several times for one flong, the platen can be forced down a number of times on the flong, and each time have a fresh or dry blanket surface interposed between the same and the flong. Thus for each operation of the platen, a dry warm blanket surface is always interposed, and when a number of applications are made to a single fiong, each application brings in a new and dry blanket surface. In this way a great saving in time can be made.

In the modification shown in Fig. 7 two blankets D and D are shown, arranged both to pass under the platen, and to be shifted together by the mechanisms before 1 described. This arrangement with a plurality of blankets can be used to advantage where a particularly soft blanket surface is desired between the platen and flong.

The details and arrangements herein 13$ shown and described may be greatly varied by a skilled mechanic without departing from the scope of my invention as expressed in the claims.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters-Patent is z 1. In a matrix press, the combination of a flat platen and table, an interposed blanket, and means for shifting the same.

2. In a matrix press, the combination of the flat platen and table, an interposed blanket, and means for shifting the same forward step by step .so that separate portions of the blanket are used.

3. In a matrix press, the combination of the fiat platen and table, an interposed blanket, and automatically operating means for shifting the blanket.

4. In a matrix press, the combination of a flat platen and table, means for operating the press, a blanket interposed between the platen and table, and means for shifting the blanket between the movements of the press.

5. In a matrix press, the combination of the fiat platen and table,means for operating the press, a blanket interposed between the platen and table, and means for shifting the blanket between successive operations of the press.

6. In a matrix press, the combination of.

the flat platen and table, means for operating the press, a blanket interposed between the platen and table, and means for automatically shifting the blanket between successive operations of the press.

7 In a matrix press, the combination. of the flat platen and table, an interposed blanket, a drying device for the blanket, and means for shifting the blanket.

8. In a matrix press, the combination of the flat platen and table, a continuous blanket interposed between the platen and table, and means for shifting the same.

9. In a matrix press, the combination of the flat platen and table, a continuous blanket interposed between the platen and table, means for looping the blanket, and a drying device for the same.

10. In a matrix press, the combination of the platen and table, a cylinder and piston for operating the platen, a blanket interposed between the platen and table, and means for shifting the blanket.

11. In a matrix press, the combination of the Hat platen and table, an interposed blanket, means for operating the platen, and means for shifting the blanket when the platen rises.

12. In a matrix press, the combination of the platen and table, a blanket interposed between the same, a cylinder and piston for operating the platen, shifting mechanism for the blanket, and a cylinder and piston for operating the shifting mechanism.

valves,

13. In a matrix press, the combination of the platen and table, a blanket interposed between the same, a cylinder and piston for operating the platen, shifting mechanism for the blanket, a cylinder and piston for operating the shifting mechanism, and a valve mechanism connected so that as the platen lifts the blanket will be shifted.

14. In a matrix press, the combination of the platen and table, a cylinder and piston for operating the same, a blanket, a ratchet mechanism for shifting the same, a cylinder and piston for operating the ratchet mecha-' nism, and a valve mechanism controlling the pressure and exhaust to said cylinder arranged .so that as the platen rises the blanket will be shifted.

15. In a matrix press, the combination of the platen and table, a cylinder and piston for operating the same, a blanket, a ratchet mechanism for shifting the same, a cylinder and piston for operating the ratchet mechanism, and a valve mechanism comprising two one controlling the pressure and exhaust to actuate the platen, and the other the pressure and exhaust to actuate the ratchet, said valves being connected together, whereby the blanket will be shifted.

16. In a matrix press, the combination of the platen and table, a cylinder and piston for operating the same, a blanket, a ratchet mechanism for shifting the same, a cylinder and piston for operating the ratchet mechanism, and a valve mechanism comprising two valves, one controlling the pressure and exhaust to actuate the platen, and the other the pressure and exhaust to actuate the ratchet, said valves being geared together, and an operating handle, whereby by manipulating said handle the platen may be caused to descend, and whereby upon the upward movement of the platen the blanket will be automatically shifted.

17 In a matrix press, the combination of the flat platen and table, a blanket, means for shifting the same, and rollers for squeezing out the moisture from the damp section of the blanket.

18. In a matrix press, the combination of the platen and table, an interposed blanket, means for shifting the same, and spring tension rollers for holding the blanket under a spring tension to allow for the move ments of the platen and for the shrinkage of the blanket.

19. In a matrix press, the combination of the platen and table, an interposed blanket, means for looping the blanket, and a series of steam pipes arranged in the loops of the blanket.

20. In a matrix press, the combination of the flat platen and table, a plurality of interposed blankets, and means for shifting the same.

21. In a matrix press, the combination of the platen and table, an interposed blanket, and means for shifting the blanket a distance greater than the length of the form so that a fresh blanket surface can be interposed.

22. In a matrix press, the combination of the platen and table, an interposed blanket, and means for shifting the blanket at each operation of the press a distance equal to or greater than the length of the form, so

that a fresh blanket surface will be interposed for each pressing operation.

In testimony Whereof I have hereunto set my hand, in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

ROBERT T. JOHNSTON.

WVitnesses:

JAs. H. CRAFT, ANNIE B. WALTERS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

